Game apparatus and control means



Oct. 31, 1939.

v.1. c. KOCl 2,177,725

GAME APPARATUS AND CONTROL MEANS Filed Sept. 21, 1938 v Jrzy C 2'06!) 1NVENT OR.

1575 ATTORNEY.-

f50"'whichz Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan View of a game PatentedOct. 31, 1 939 I I GAME! APPARATUS AND CONTROLMEIANS Jerryrfi. Koci,-;;Chicag0, 111;; assignor; to, Chica Coin'Machin Mfg flo Chicago, 11]., acorporaiee l r Application-September 21, 1938, seriam zsmov ass. (01.273-132) balls or counters in predeterminedfpositions in accordancewiththeir various characteristics as afor'esaidi V Another object is theprovision of control means 1': arranged for operation! by the severalballs or counters when the same areselectivelydisposedin .thepredetermined positions aforesaid, for'scontrolling someinstruinentality associated with the ganja. Vol.7 I J: 1 i I Anotherobject isth'e prbvision pfa novel rneans foreffecting moveinentof theballs" or counters toward and into, or' relative to; the selective deftesting nd control means;

Another. object 'istt-he provision of a game in 5*. which there are aplurality ofballso fdifierent size" and'means forautomatically"arranging the balls 1 according tofsi ze inpredeterminedjpositionsgjto gethe r with control means and operatingmeans therefor arranged, at the predetermined{positions 1 3on0);operation by aball which mayrhayebeen selec= tivelyjdis posed atone ofsa i'd positions. I p I W Viewed frorn another aspect, it an importantobject of the invention to; provid'e a'game' apparatus includingaaplaying board which is prefer- C ably inclined; a plurality. of balls;varying slightly in diameter? and means for n lovingithe balls relativetoa selectingdevicei whi'ch will causethe balls to be positioned in acertainrnann'er in accordance with the diameter thereof; there being acontrol instrumentality, such for exampleas as'witch,dis-" posed ateacliposition which may be occupied by a ball and there. being somecontrolled instrumen tality actuat'edin a predetermined manner by theseveral control devices depending upon the man- I 'ner in which theballsare'selectively positioned.

otherobjectsandnovel aspects of the' invention y. reside in certain"cletailsl'off construction, form, location"; and operation of, theparts hereinafter view of I the annexed drawing in" described "inapparatus embodying the novel features 1 of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged 'frag-m entaryperspective of 5:. the'selectingmeansi a l I Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom perspective of the 7 playingboardand projecting control mechanism;

" Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sec 3 tion through theprojecting mechanism asviewed along line 44'0f Fig; 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section to enlarged scale of one of thecontrolledinstrumentalities in the nature of a signal, taken alohglihe-Fig. 6 isa circuit diagram. I A preferred embodiment of the invention"ineludes, as viewed in Fig. l, a cabinet inpwhich there is disposed aplaying board Ill inclined slightly relative to the horizontal sothatthe balls orfotner counters or playing piec'esmay gravitate!tli'ereover. The playing pieces or counters in the present instance areballs approximately the size of large marbles, and the balls arepreferably distinguished one from another by a characteristic color. Theballs, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are lined; for color and forconvenienceare designated serially I, II, III, IV, and V. I

Means for effecting movement of the counters or balls over the playingboard includes a plunger I I mounted on 'a' front wall I2 of the cabinetand a master control in the form of a plunger I3 which mustbe operatedeach timethe game is played. Thdplayefpushesthe joontrolor plunger I3inwardly and, as il1ustrated.in1Fig. 3, the innerend I portion Moithemaster control plunger engages a flange i5 at1one end of alever I6pivoted'as'at I'I on'the under side of the board It. At its opposite endthe lever I Ii-is movably fitted into a stirrup IB' for 'reciprocationon the under side of the playing board by means of longitudinally spacedpins 20, working in slots 2 Ion the projector bar. 22 is attached toone, end of the b'ar'IB- (see'also Fig; 4) and urges the latter to movethe opposite offset striker portion 2'3thereof into forwardposition in aslot 24 c'ut in the'board IOjust above the projecting plunger II', T U rInorder to operate the game, the playerpushes theiplunger' I3 inwardlyand pivots the lever I6so asto move the projector bar I9 and tension theon an elongated plunger bar I9 which is mounted Av pr g, 1

spring 22 thereof with theresult' that thestrikerportion 23 of'theprojecting barm'oves into the-' dotted line position shown in Fig. 4At'jth'e'sanie tii'rie the latching notch portion 30 of a latchingpawlbti {which is pivoted as at 32 toa bracket on the under side of theplayboard, is urged by the action ofa spring 33, attached to a wing 34on' the I pawl'fiisothat the notchportion 30 is engaged over theedge ofthe lever It and holds the same andthe projecting bar"I9inretraotedpositiom The inner end portion of the projecting plunger Hpasses through a slot 35 in the wing 34, and a collar 36 on the innerend of the plunger bears against the wing 34 when the plunger iswithdrawn and trips the latching pawl 3| so that the projecting bar I9is quickly snapped back to initial position by its spring 22, with theresult that any of the counters or balls which may be resting againstthe offset striking portion 23 of the projecting bar, as in Fig. 4, willbe projected out onto the board I!) for movement thereover, as will bedescribed hereinafter. A suitable hood 3? may be arranged over thestriker portion 23 to shield the same and the slot 24 from View.

The counters or balls, asheretofore pointed out, preferably havedifferent characteristics and are differentiated one from another bytheir color and also in diameter, each ball differing from the next insize by a slight amount, for example 0.015 inch, for the purpose ofcooperating witha ball detector or selecting device which is adapted. toposition the balls in a predetermined manner in accordance with theirsize, a particular size of ball being further distinguished by acorresponding color or other identifying expediency.

The means for selectively positioning the counters or balls includes theprovision of a guideway or receptacle into which the balls are ;moved.In the illustrative arrangement, the

guideway or receptacle is formed by a pair of spaced rails 40 and 4|(Figs. 1 and 2) mounted in nearly parallel relation on the top of theboard l6, preferably near the lower end thereof, the

;rail 40 being relatively stationary and spaced from the top of theboard a distance to bring it approximately at the center level of theseveral balls. The companion rail 4| is similarly spaced from the top ofthe board but is pivotally mount- .ed on one of its mounting posts as at42, the

opposite end portion being supportably guided in a slotted cleat 43rigidly secured to the playboard. By this arrangement the movable rail4| maybe pivoted to move the lower end portion I thereof toward and awayfrom the stationary rail 46. The lowermost end of the movable rail 4| isprovided with a notch 44 adapted to bear against a stopping cleat 45which accurately positions the movable rail in a predetermined spacedrelation to the stationary.

rail. A'leaf spring 46 secured as at 47 to a raised member on theplaying board In urges the rail 4| into such normal position.

When the movable rail 4| is in its normal position due to the action ofthe spring 46 limited by the stop 45, the rods 40 and 4| are spacedapart slightly more at their upper (right-hand) ends than at the lowerends, and this spacing, which may be accomplished simply by regulatingthe relative pitch of the movable member 4| with respect to the member40 or by the provision of a slanted edge portion on one or both of the 7wedging action which results from spacing the rails as aforesaid.Assuming'the ball having the next largest diameter and designated IIenters between theirails immediately following ball I, it will becomelodged at the next higher level in spaced relation to the first ball,and if the succeeding balls all enter between the rails in the order oftheir increasing diameter, they will all be similarly spaced. In thismanner the balls or counters are selectively positioned, and when theballs enter the selecting guideway or means in proper sequence, thecolor scheme will be distributed for visual indication in accordancewith a predetermined plan, the first ball, for example, being red; thesecond, white; the third, yellow; the fourth, brown; and the fifth,blue, as indicated in Fig. 1, such an arrangement providing a visualindication to the player that he has achieved a winning combination orscore.

Selective control means are associated with the detecting deviceheretofore described, and in the present arrangement this means includesa plurality of control members in the form of leaf spring switches 52,53, 54, and 55, each having a contact spring constituting a fingerextension 50 which is arranged to project at an angle into thepassageway defined by the rails 40 and 4| so as to be operativelyengaged by a corresponding one of the balls when the same are disposedin their predetermined positions. Thus, the finger portion 5|] of switch5| will be engaged and operated by ball I which has the smallestdiameter, provided ball I is the first to enter between the rails.Likewise, switch 52 will be operated byball II, provided this ballenters the rails before ball III. Thus, it is possible that all of theswitches or control devices may be operated in sequence, or only certainof the switches may be operated, depending upon the order in which theballs enter the selecting device.

In Fig. 2, the blue ball V has entered between the rails first and as aconsequence all of the remaining balls are piled up behind ball V andprevented thereby from entering between the rails, with the result thatonly switch 55 can be operated in this instance.

A further feature of the game is the provision of a controlledinstrumentality or means in the nature of signal devices operated by theseveral switches. In the present arrangement, there are five lamps 6|,62, 63, 64, and 65 suitably mounted as bybrackets 66 so as to projectthrough openings 61 in the board and aligned correspondingly with theserialalignment of the balls between the selecting rails. Each lamp isprovided with a colored window or cap 6|, 62', etc., the color of whichcorresponds in reverse order to the serial alignment of the coloredballs. Thus, assuming that the red ball Iwere the first to enter therunway or receptacle, the lamp 6| at the farther right-hand end of thegroup of lamps would be the first to be illuminated, and so on for theremaining balls.

Acircuit arrangement for the selectively operable control devices andthe controlled means is shown in Fig. 6 wherein each of the lamps 6|,62, 63, 64, 65 is connected to a common conductor 68 which in turn isconnected through a time switch 69 tonne side of a power source orbattery 10, the return side of the battery being connected to aconductor H which is common to all of the spring contacts 50 of theseveral switches, the remaining contacts of which are connected byconductors 12 to the other sides of the several lamps. The switch 69 maybe closed by operation of the plunger 3 and will remain closed apredetermined period of time and thereafter automatically opened so asto ex- .fore the automatic -projector 85.

tingnishaany btzthe lamps; which m'ayl have been illuminated by theprevious player.

-' Means for effecting removal of the balls from operative engagement?with the selecting or detecting devicezi'includeswthe provision of adependingafinger'iill: (Figs: 2 and- 3) on. the lower endof; themovable'rail 4|,which finger extends through a slotL-inuthe.playboard.ID for engagement with; a, lateral extension or arm 8| on the leverv[iii .=1Each-. time.;th e plunger I3. is operated towsetz'thetgame-forplay; thearm-tl will engage theememberoiilirand pivotthev movable railmember Misina direction away from the companionrailwd'lladistance-adequate to permit all of the 3 balls: to gravitateuontdownv to they lower end 'of the p-layboardzthe arrangement beingsuch that the. ballsmove; :thusly inlposition before an automatictproletingugdevice 8,5; which is actuated,

each, time a balliengages, the same and projects ,;;the,.ball.,along ia,=guideway 86; terminating in front of the hood 3'! so that the ballswill be serially aligned-against the striker 23. Thereafter, theplayerpulls the plunger II and effects projection ofthe entire groupof ballsout onto the boardlin the manner heretofore described.

thus tripping thefcatchfSl and permitting the" sprin 22 to drive the bar[9 back to its initial position, with the result that the offset striker23 will. propel .the entire group of balls'along the raceway 25 toward.the upper end of the board It], the ballsl'thereafterrgravitating towardthe mouth or upper enddfl the detecting or selecting means 40% and theballs being aligned in the. latter to operate one or more of the control'"devices fil 52, etc."for;thepurpose of operating the signal meansonlarhp'slfil, 'etc., to indicate achievement of p'one or another scoredepending upon the manneifinwhichthe balls are selectively ,posit io nedbetweenj the rails 48 and 4|,

the color scheme fthe indicating means corre spondingto thatgof the,balls so that the relative score of the v player is quickly and easilyvisualized- Various, modifications and rearrangements with respectgtotheyform, location, and operation of the illustrative idevice describedherein may be madeiwithontpdepar-ting from the scope of the.

invention as defined: in the appended claims, all. of which expr'esslyinclude all equivalent arrangements; i

Having? thusf described my invention, what I claim as new" nd"desiretoprotect by Letters 11 In combination; means providing an inclinedballplayiii'g surface, a plurality of ballsof different diameters, means foreffecting movementof said-ballsover said surface; selectingmechanismfincluding"spaced members arranged on saidsui'face' so thatsaid balls may move therebetween," said "spaced members beingarranged'each with;respect to the other so that said ballswill-bedstdpped' at predetermined location's" there etween dependingupon the diameter and me'ans formoving one of--said:"

members: relatlvecrtof the" other to permit all of said balls togravitate from between the same.

2. In: combination, means providing an inclined ballplaying surface, a.plurality of balls of difi'erentidiameters, means for effectingmovementof i said b-allsfo-r gravitation from the upper en'dl ofsaidboardltoward the lower end thereof, and selecting means". includinglongitudinally spaced: members arranged on said board so that said ballsmay. gravitate therebetween, said spacedxmembers being arranged andconstructed sothat the distancev therebetween decreases at I clined ballplaying surface, a plurality of balls,

of different "diameters, means for effecting movement of said balls forgravitation from the upper end of' said board toward the lower endthereof, and selecting means including longitudinally spaced membersarranged'on said board so that said balls may gravitate therebetween,said spaced members beingarranged and constructed so that the distancetherebetween decreases at intervals fromthe uppermost toward the lower--most'ends thereof whereby' said balls may be arrested at certain spacedpositions between said members depending upon the diameter of the balls,and means for moving one of said spaced members relative to the other topermit all of saidballs to' gravitatetherebetween and therepast,and-control meansgin the form of a'plurality'of switches each having anoperating member arranged atone ofsaid certain positions for engagementand operation by a ball selectively disposed at the correspondingposition as aforesaid, together with signal means operatively associatedwith eachof said switches for indicating the relative disposition ofballs at said certain positions.

4. In combination, means providing an inclined ballplaying surface, aplurality of balls of. relatively diminishing diameters, means foreffecting movement of said balls from the upper toward the lower end ofsaid surface, and selecting means including a pair of rail members andmeans mounting the sameon said surface in spaced relation with thelengthof said rails extending in the direction of inclination of said surface,said rails defining a passageway having an entrance end at the uppermostend of said rails and an exit end at the lowermost end thereof, saidrails being spaced apart diminishing distances from said upper toward.said lower,

end whereby said balls will be arrested between said rails, at certainpositionswherethe distance between the rails is slightly less than thediameter of oneof said balls, one of said rails being movable relativeto the other,-means for efiecting movement of said movable rail towidenthe distance between the same andthe remaining rail whereby all of saidballs may be permitted to gravitate frombetween the railsout said exitend.

5. In combination, means providing an-in clined ball playing surface, apluralityof balls toward thelower'endofsaid surface,-and'-se-- lectingmeans including a-p'ai'r or rail members and means mounting the same onsaid surface in spaced relation with the length of said rails extendingin the direction of inclination of said surface, said rails defining apassageway having an entrance end at the uppermost end of said wherebyall of said balls may be permitted to gravitatefrom between the railsout said exit end, and a plurality of switches each having an actuatingelement disposed at a predetermined position relative to saidpassageway, and corresponding to the position of arrest of one of saidballs, for engagement and operation by the corresponding ball, togetherwith controlled means arranged for operation by said switches depend- 5vent upon the relative distribution of balls in said passageway.

6. Game apparatus including means providing a confined ball playingarea, a plurality of balls of different diameters, means for effectingmovement of said balls in a particular direction in said area, and ballselecting means including means defining an elongated ball passage, thelength of which extends substantially in the same direction as saidparticular direction, said passage being of different width at differentpoints therealong from one end toward the other so that certain ballswill be arrested at certain positions in the passage depending upon therelative diameter of the ball and width of said passage at saidpositions, and control means arranged for engagement and operation byone of said balls at one or more of said selected positions, togetherwith mechanism cooperable with said means defining the passage forwidening the latter to permit all balls to pass freely therethrough insaid particular direction.

7. Game apparatus including means providing an inclined ball playingboard, a plurality of balls of different diameters and means forprojecting said balls toward the upper end of said board to 'eifectgravitating movement of the same toward the lower end of the board, andball selecting means including spaced members extending in the directionof inclination of said board so as to define a ball passage having anentrance end at a higher level and an exit end at a lower level, one ofsaid members being pivotally mounted near said entrance end for movementtoward and away from the other said member, yieldable ,means normallyurging said movable spaced member toward said other spaced member, meansnormally limiting the movement of said movable member so as to stop thelatter in a predetermined relation with said other member, the ,distancebetween said members decreasing in a predetermined manner in a directionfrom said entrance toward said exit end for the purpose of arrestingsaid balls at predetermined positions in said passage dependent upontheir diameter and the sequence in which said balls move into thepassage as aforesaid, switch means arranged at one or more of'saidpredetermined positions for engagement and operation bya ball arrestedas aforesaid, and signal means arranged for a tio y an. witch. mea to; idi he, 1

arrest of a ball at any'of said predetermined positions.

8. Ball selecting mechanism for use in bagatelle games and the like,said selecting mechanism including a pair of spaced rails arranged todefine a ball passage, one of said rails being arranged to move relativeto the other to widen said passage, means normally urging said movablerail into an initial position relative to the remaining rail, thedistance between said rails in normal position aforesaid varying atpredetermined positions between the ends of said passage, a plurality ofballs of different diameters for use in said game, one or more of saidballs being moved into said passage as a result of playing the game,certain balls being arrested at certain positions in the passagedependent upon the diameter of a given ball, and means for effectingmovement of the movable rail to widen the passage-and free an arrestedball for movement out of the passage.

9. Ball selecting mechanism for use in game apparatus of the typeincluding ball projecting means for effecting movement of balls over aninclined playing board, said selecting mechanism comprising: spacedmembers defining a ball passage having an entrance at a higher level andan exit at a lower level, one of said members being movable relative tothe other, yieldable means normally urging the movable member into apredetermined normal position relative to the other member, mechanismoperable to effect movement of said movable member to widen said passagefor unrestriced movement of balls therethrough, the width of the passagebetween said members varying at different points therealong when themembers are in normal position as aforesaid, and a plurality of balls ofdifferent diameters for use in said game, said balls being arrested atpredetermined positions along said passage when said members are innormal position in a manner determined by the relative diameter of agiven ball and the width of said passage at'a predetermined position,and control means arranged along said passage at positions correspondingto positions of arrest of said balls so as to be engaged and operated byan arrested ball, and means arranged for selective actuation by saidcontrol means dependent upon the arrest of balls at various positions inthe passage.

10. Selective control means for use in a ball playing apparatus of thetype including an inclined playing field and means for projecting ballsonto said field for gravitating movement thereover, said selectivecontrol means comprising: spaced rail members defining an elongatedpassage extending in the direction of inclination of said field andhaving an entrance at a higher level and an exit at a lower level, oneof said rails being arranged for movement in a direction toward and awayfrom the remaining rail, means normally urging the movablerail into apredetermined spaced relation with the remaining rail, means for movingthe movable rail away from the remaining rail, the distance between saidrails in normal relation diminishing in a predetermined manner from theentrance toward the exit thereof whereby to provide a passageway ofdiminishing width, a plurality of balls for use in said game, said ballsdiffering in diameter one relative to another in a predetermined orderand being adapted to be projected by the aforesaid projecting means formovement into said passageway, said balls being arrested atcertainpositions 76 in the passageway according to their diameter andthe width of said passage at said positions, switch means arranged foroperation by arrested balls at predetermined positions of arrest alongthe passageway, and a plurality of electrically operated indicatorsarranged for operation to designate certain positions ofarrest of ballsin the passageway and each actuated by one of said switch means wherebythe distribution of arrested balls in said passageway may be indicated,said movable rail being movable as aforesaid away from the remainingrail to free arrested balls for gravitation out of the passageway.

11. Selective control means for use in a ball playing apparatus of thetype including an inclined playing field and means for projecting ballsonto said field for gravitating movement thereover, said selectivecontrol means comprising: spaced rail members defining an elongatedpassage extending in the direction of inclination of said field andhaving an entrance at a higher level and an exit at a lower level, oneof said rails being arranged for movement in a direction toward and awayfrom the remaining rail, means normally urging the movable rail into apredetermined spaced relation with the remaining rail, means for movingthe movable rail away from the remaining rail, the distance between saidrails in normal relation diminishing in a predetermined manner from theentrance toward the exit thereof whereby to provide a passageway ofdiminishing width, a plurality of balls for use i in said game, saidballs differing in diameter one relative to another in a predeterminedorder and being adapted to be projected by the aforesaid projectingmeans for movement into said passageway, said balls being arrested atcertain positions in the passageway according to their diameter and thewidth of said passage at said positions, control means arranged foroperation by balls in said positions, a plurality of signal lampsarranged for operation by said control means to designate predeterminedpositions of arrest of balls in said passage, each ball being providedwith indicia which corresponds to designating indicia characterizing oneof said lamps, the arrangement being such that the arrest of a givenball at a predetermined position in said passageway will effectenergization of the corresponding lamp through theagency of said controlmeans, the designating indicia of said ball and lamp corresponding andthe lamps therefore being operable to indicate the relative positions ofsuch balls as are arrested in the passageway, said movable rail beingmovable as aforesaid to widen the passage and permit all of said ballsto gravitate out of the same.

12. In a device of the class described, ball selecting means includingspaced members defining a descending ball passage having an entrance endat a higher level and an exit end at a lower level, said passagediminishing in width at predetermined points from said entrance towardsaid exit end so as to arrest balls of predetermined diameter arrivingat said predetermined points along the passage,,a plurality of balls ofdifferent predetermined diameters for movement into and arrest in saidpassage as aforesaid, control means arranged at said predeterminedpositions along the passage for engagement and,

operation by balls arrested at said positions, and apparatus operablycontrolled by said control means, and means for moving one of saidspaced members relative to the other and thereby permit gravitation ofany arrested balls out ;said exit end. i

13. In a sorting mechanism adapted for use with spherical objects ofdifferent diameter, spaced members arranged to define a passage in whichsaid spherical objects may be serially aligned, one of said spacedmembers extending at an angle with respect to the other in a convergentsense whereby the distances across the passage will vary between theopposite ends thereof, said spherical objects being arrested at certainpositions along the passage in accordance with their respectivediameters, one of said members being mounted for movement out of anormal position with respect to theother said member to widen saidpassage and permit all of said objects to pass therethrough.

14. In a sorting mechanism adapted for use with spherical objects ofdifferent diameter, spaced members arranged to define a passage in whichsaid spherical objects may be serially aligned, one of said spacedmembers extending at an angle with respect to the other in a convergentsense whereby the distances across the passage will vary between theopposite ends thereof, said spherical objects being arrested at certainpositions along the passage in accordance with their respectivediameters, one of said members being mounted for movement out of anormal position with respect to the other said member to widen saidpassage and permit all of said objects to pass therethrough, togetherwith control means arranged for selective operation by a desired one ofsaid spherical objects and including an actuating part disposed at theaforesaid particular position corresponding to the position occupied bythe desired object in said passage for engagement and operation bysaidobject when the same is disposed in said position.

15. Ball selecting apparatus and signaling means including spacedmembers defining a ball passage having an entrance and an exit end andin which a series of balls of difierent diameters may be aligned, thedistance across said passage diminishing from the entrance end towardthe exit end thereof in such manner that said balls will be aligned inthe order of their diameters, one of said members being movable from anormal position away from the other to widen said passage and permit allof said balls to move out of the same from said exit end, each of saidballs being provided with characteristic indicia, an indicating devicefor each of said balls and provided with indicia means correlating thesame with, the indicia of a particular ball, and selectively operablecontrol mechanism for said indicating devices and including a pluralityof control operating members each arranged at predetermined positionsalong said passage for operative engagement by a certain ball disposedthereat in the manner aforesaid to actuate the corresponding indicatingdevice, whereby the distribution of said balls in said passage may beindicated.

JERRY C. KOCI.

